Perry Gladstone Christie PC, MP (born 21 August 1943) is a Bahamian former politician who served as prime minister of the Bahamas from 2002 to 2007 and from 2012 to 2017.[1] He is the second longest-serving Bahamian elected parliamentarian (behind Sir Roland Symonette who was first elected to parliament in 1925 and served until 1977), representing the Centreville constituency from 1977 to 2017. He is also a former athlete.[citation needed] His Progressive Liberal Party is the oldest Bahamian political party, holding solid majorities in the Bahamian Parliament several times in its long history.
Perry Gladstone Christie | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Christie in 2013 | |
| 3rd Prime Minister of the Bahamas | |
| In office 8 May 2012 – 11 May 2017 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governors General | Arthur Foulkes Marguerite Pindling |
| Deputy | Philip Davis |
| Preceded by | Hubert Ingraham |
| Succeeded by | Hubert Minnis |
| In office 6 June 2005 – 4 May 2007 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governors General | Ivy Dumont Paul Adderley (Acting) Arthur Dion Hanna |
| Deputy | Cynthia Pratt |
| Preceded by | Cynthia Pratt (Acting) |
| Succeeded by | Hubert Ingraham |
| In office 3 May 2002 – 4 May 2005 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governor General | Ivy Dumont |
| Deputy | Cynthia Pratt |
| Preceded by | Hubert Ingraham |
| Succeeded by | Cynthia Pratt (Acting) |
| Minister of Finance of the Bahamas | |
| In office 2002–2007 | |
| Preceded by | William Clifford Allen |
| Succeeded by | Hubert Ingraham |
| In office 2012–2017 | |
| Preceded by | Hubert Ingraham |
| Succeeded by | Peter Turnquest |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Perry Gladstone Christie 21 August 1943 Nassau, Bahamas |
| Political party | Progressive Liberal Party |
| Spouse | Bernadette Hanna |
| Alma mater | University of Birmingham City Law School |
Political career
edit
Christie is believed to have been the youngest Bahamian ever appointed to the Senate.[2] Named as a Senator by Prime Minister Lynden Pindling in November 1974, Christie served in that capacity until June 1977. In January 1977 he was appointed chairman of the Gaming Board, which regulates casinos in The Bahamas.
Receiving the PLP's nomination for the Centreville constituency in the 1977 general election, Christie was elected Member of Parliament for that constituency, and shortly afterward appointed Minister of Health and National Insurance, and held that position until 1982.[3] During the June 1982 general election, he was re-elected Member of Parliament for Centreville, and was once again appointed to the Prime Minister's Cabinet, but as Minister of Tourism.
A dynamic minister, Christie moved tourism in The Bahamas to new heights. In 1984, however, he was dismissed from the cabinet, and during the 1987 general election ran as an independent candidate. He retained his seat in the Centreville constituency. Three years later – in March 1990 – Christie returned to the fold of the Progressive Liberal Party, and was appointed minister of agriculture, trade and industry by the prime minister. Christie's ministerial responsibilities included the ministry of agriculture, trade and industry; mining, geological surveys, petroleum, fuel, oils and petrochemicals, industries encouragement, manufacturing, relations with The Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation, relations with The Bahamas National Trust, Andros reef and blue holes, and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Co-operatives.
In January 1993, following the PLP's defeat in the August 1992 general election, Christie was elected co-deputy leader of the PLP with responsibility for party activities outside parliament. Victorious in the newly created Farm Road constituency in the general election, he was elected leader of the PLP at a special convention on 5 April 1997 and appointed as leader of the opposition by the Governor-General on 7 April. Christie thus succeeded Lynden Pindling, who had led the PLP since 1956.
Perry held the additional portfolio of Minister of Finance from 2002 to 2007, and from 2012 to 2017.
Events since 2007
editChristie's party, the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), was defeated in the May 2007 general election, taking 18 seats against 23 for the Free National Movement (FNM), and Christie conceded defeat in a phone call to FNM leader Hubert Ingraham.[4] After the new FNM government was sworn in, Christie was sworn in as leader of the opposition.[5][6]
In November 2009, Christie was overwhelmingly elected, and returned as Leader of the PLP at its Annual General Convention, garnering more than 80% of the vote over Dr. Bernard Nottage.[citation needed]
Christie was re-elected as Prime Minister of the Bahamas on 7 May 2012.
Christie has brought programmes like Urban Renewal.[7]
Christie also introduced Value Added Tax at a rate of 7.5%. The money raised from VAT was slated to pay off National Debt.
No Freedom of Information Act has even been implemented under his government, although while in opposition he pushed for it.[8]
Multiple human rights violations have been investigated under his leadership, none of which have been solved.[9]
10 May 2017 General Elections
editIn a landslide defeat by the Free National Movement (FNM), the PLP was defeated in the 10 May 2017 general elections with the FNM winning 35 seats, and the PLP winning only 4 seats.[10] The historic win also resulted in the unseating of Perry Christie from his Centerville seat by a mere four votes, a constituency which he had represented for 40 consecutive years.
Second Government (2012–2017)
edit| Name | Position | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|
| Perry Christie | Prime Minister and Minister of Finance | 8 May 2012 |
| Philip Davis | Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Works and Urban Development | 9 May 2012 |
| Frederick A. Mitchell | Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration | 10 May 2012 |
| Glenys Hanna Martin | Minister of Transport and Aviation | 10 May 2012 |
| Melanie Griffin | Minister of Social Services and Community Development | 10 May 2012 |
| Michael Darville | Minister for Grand Bahama | 10 May 2012 |
| Perry Gomez | Ministry of Health and Social Development | 10 May 2012 |
| Kenred Dorsett | Minister of the Environment and Housing | 10 May 2012 |
| Daniel Johnson | Minister of Youth Sports and Culture | 10 May 2012 |
| Ryan Pinder | Minister of Financial Services | 10 May 2012 |
| Jerome Fitzgerald | Minister of Education, Science, and Technology | 10 May 2012 |
| Shane D. Gibson | Minister of Labour and National Insurance | 10 May 2012 |
| V. Alfred Gray | Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources, and Local Government | 10 May 2012 |
| Z. C. Allyson Maynard Gibson | Attorney General, Minister of Legal Affairs | 10 May 2012 |
| Bernard J. Nottage | Minister of National Security | 10 May 2012 |
| Obediah Wilchombe | Minister of Tourism | 10 May 2012 |
References
edit- ^ Information Services, Bahamas Government. "Reference Biography Service: Hon, Perry Gladstone Christie" (PDF).
- ^ East, Roger; Thomas, Richard J. (3 June 2014). Profiles of People in Power: The World's Government Leaders. Routledge. ISBN 9781317639404.
- ^ ""Health Heroes" Award Ceremony, September 8, 2002" (PDF). ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu.
- ^ "Bahamas government ousted in poll", BBC News, 3 May 2007.
- ^ Stephen Gay, "Christie Sworn In As Leader of Official Opposition; Appeals For National Healing", The Bahama Journal, 9 May 2007.
- ^ Annan Boodram, "Changing of the Guard in the Bahamas" Archived 12 April 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Caribbean Voice, May 2002.
- ^ Letter from Rick Lowe (24 September 2012). "Urban Renewal 2.0 An Admission of Failure?". Tribune 242.
- ^ Travis Cartwright-Carroll (30 March 2015). "Minnis: PM does not respect democracy". The Nassau Guardian.
- ^ Ava Turnquest (23 March 2015). "Hearings on Human Rights Hailed As A Great First Step". Tribune 242.
- ^ "General Election 2017 OFFICIAL RESULTS". www.bahamaslocal.com. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2019.